Some Healthy Bottled Salad Dressings
By Rachel Carver
Everything about weight loss says we need to eat vegetables to be successful. But eating vegetables can be hard when you don't enjoy them.
Trying to be healthier or lose weight does not mean you have to say good-bye to salad dressings. And a good salad dressing can breathe life back into a pile of veggies and lettuce.
Making your own salad dressing is a good theory. But hectic schedules and reality can get in the way. Luckily, there are some healthy bottled dressings that, when combined with some seasonal vegetables, can actually make you want to eat a salad.
Brianna's Home Style Rich Poppy Seed Dressing
This dressing gives great flavor to a simple salad and can also be used as a dip. It is made with oil, vinegars, poppy seeds, onion, sugar, and mustard flour.
This dressing gives you about 150 calories and 13 grams of fat in two tablespoons. Before you dismiss this dressing, remember that salad dressings with calories coming from fat help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A and K from vegetables.
Dressings with fat will give you calories. But these dressings are more satiating than their fat-free counterparts, keeping your hunger pangs in check throughout the day. This dressing does have added sugar, which you can balance by consuming other food items lower in added sugar.
Ken's Simply Vinaigrette Greek
Simple vinaigrettes are great additions to almost anything. And they can easily bring excitement to a boring salad. You will probably be able to taste the Parmesan cheese in this dressing. Other ingredients include various vinegars, herbs, and spices.
This dressing gives you 13 grams of mostly unsaturated fats. This dressing does not contain any sugar or added sugar. And it comes in at 130 calories per two tablespoon serving.
Tessemae's Organic Everything Bagel Ranch
Who doesn't like bagels or ranch? Everything bagel flavor is very popular and taste great on a crispy salad. The egg yolks in this dressing give it a creamy texture. And it tastes like an everything bagel. Other ingredients include spices and oils.
Two tablespoons of this dressing will give you 160 calories. It has 16 grams of mostly unsaturated fat. As a bonus, this dressing is another zero-sugar option.
The Bottom Line
Enjoy salads with some healthy and tasty bottled dressings. Try to find dressings with fats coming from plant oils such as olive, canola, and avocado to help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins and stay full. These fats will give you more calories, but this is not a bad thing. Your body needs healthy fat. And more calories are worth it if the dressings help you enjoy more vegetables.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in River Edge, N.J.